Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in one bowl. In another, combine the buttermilk and lemon extract. Set aside. Combine butter, sugar, and lemon zest in large mixing bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is fluffy and much lighter in color. (Beat well, at least 5-10 minutes.)

Add the eggs one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate the first egg before adding the second.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk in the following order: add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, 1/2 of the wet, another third of the dry, the rest of the wet, and the rest of the dry. Mix until just combined and finish with a spatula. (If you overmix after the dry ingredients are added, the cupcakes will not rise properly and the texture will be chewy and dense.)

Bake in the top third of the oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops are slightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Directions
Beat butter until creamy. Add 3 cups of the sugar and the rest of the ingredients. Beat at high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add the rest of the sugar, adding 1 cup at a time and beating for 5 minutes after each addition. Once all the sugar has been added, continue beating at high speed till the mixture is extremely pale, light, and very fluffy. Use immediately or cover tightly and refrigerate.

Oh, boy, those look so good! I like the sprinkles. Now, I must go eat a healthy lunch because I'm starving and what I really feel like eating is something frosted! Luckily, I have nothing frosted in the house.

I must disagree with the Hat Chick - more is more only when we are talking frosting, not sprinkles. I'm not a fan of the sprinkle. Love the swirly tops on these.But, sweet mother of God - lemon buttercream?? My birthday is in 12 days - do you need my address? :D

Plans for the weekend...make lemon cupcakes...eat as many as possible before girls discover them. And lemon butter cream...be still my heart! Many thanks for sharing this...hello heavenly spring cupcakes!! :)

Mmmm, these look great! I've been on the lookout for a good lemon cupcakes recipe for a little tasting project I'm working on. I'll have to try these. Any tips/suggestions if you were to make them again?BTW - I don't think the sprinkles look stupid :)

As hard as you are on yourself, or your cupcakes (or, heck, Target), this was one great post. And these cupcakes look heavenly. I'm with you, ready for spring, but in no way thinking of summer yet. Thanks for the inspiration.Anyway, I found you through TasteSpotting and am writing to say that if you have any photos that aren’t accepted there, I’d love to publish them. Visit my site (below), it’s a lot of fun! I hope you will consider it.Best,CaseyEditorwww.tastestopping.com

I will be making these today. Yes, today. Did I already tell you that it's past midnight over here? Yeah, thanks for the recipe! :)I'm making them for my sister's co-workers so they better be good. Just joking. They look delicious.

They loved them!!! No seriously, they luvvvvvved the cupcakes. I ate two (hey, I had to sample them) and fell in love too. I used another frosting (just powdered sugar + lemon juice, I was tired so I took the easy way) but who cares? I will definitely make these again. Thanks!!!I think one of the co-workers wants to ask me to marry him now. I'm not even kidding.

chocolate + whine

about

Stephanie is 30+ years old, divorced, and overweight. And one has nothing to do with the other, she swears. She loves chocolate, romance novels and Edward Cullen and she feels really weird referring to herself in the third person. This is her personal blog. As if you couldn't tell. More about Stephanie.